Our most recent cruise was after Thanksgiving last year, on the Norwegian Escape out of New Orleans. The timing is pretty common for me. It’s easier to be out of the office, and if you plan carefully, you can avoid holiday surge pricing. We flew on Thanksgiving morning and back 10 days later, well after the Thanksgiving rush. We had a couple days in New Orleans, which will be a separate post, before embarkation on Saturday.

Itinerary: The ship stopped at 3 ports — Harvest Caye, Belize; Roatán (Bay Islands), Honduras and Cozumel, Mexico, with 3 at-sea days. Originally it was supposed to call at Costa Maya, but due to ship speed issues, they had to skip it.

Chichén Itzá

A cruise seemed a reasonable way to see Chichén Itzá. No matter how you travel to the Yucatan Peninsula, if you stay in the main tourist areas (Cancun, Cozumel, Tulum), you’ve got a long ride to the interior to see the ruins. Granted, we didn’t have as much time at Chichén Itzá as we would have if we could set our own schedule, however the tour guide was excellent and we were pleased with our choice. And lucky. Our guide told us that the previous week, the water was too choppy for the ferry from Cozumel to the mainland.

It was a full and long day but I highly recommend. You start and end the day with the ferry from Cozumel to the mainland. If you squint, you could call that a harbor cruise. Then it’s a short walk through the town to the mini-bus. During the ride, the guide gave us a tablet to read up on our destination. On site, he took us through the main areas of the ruins, and at the end we had about 30-40 minutes to wander on our own. We were more interested in the ruins than the marketplace, but if shopping was your thing, there were MANY options. 

If you’d like a shorter Mayan adventure from Cozumel, the cruise line also offers excursions to Tulum, and should your itinerary include Costa Maya, there are options from there as well. 

The excursion from your cruise or explore on your own?

I almost always do the shore excursions from the cruise line. I like the predictability of it. If the ship is late to arrive, they wait for you. If there is a delay during the excursion — provided you make it to the transportation on time — they wait for you. When you are on your own, you are just that – on your own and if your taxi doesn’t make it back in time, the ship is leaving without you. It almost happened to someone at one of the stops on this cruise. If you are just going to hang at the beach or shop, near the port, you’re probably fine on your own. With something like Chichén Itzá, which is a full day, you are much better off with the cruise line option. Our guide met us when we disembarked the ferry in the morning and at the end of the day, walked us back to the embarkation point, so we didn’t have to worry about a thing. That’s what I want on my cruise vacation — no worries.

Harvest Caye, Belize

I joke that we didn’t actually go to Belize; we went to Fauxlize. When i originally booked our excursions, we expected to have a full day in Costa Maya before the day at the NCL “private island” Harvest Caye, so instead of a sightseeing excursion, I booked a private cabana poolside for the day. The little shops in the “village” were mostly touristy stuff – magnets, hats, t-shirts, souvenir “stuff” — but I did find a nice jade jaguar charm at the Jade Maya shop, similar to this necklace.  The chocolate shop was also a nice stop; we brought home a couple bars. 

Roatán (Bay Islands), Honduras

We did a full day excursion that started at Gumbalima Park, where we saw macaws, white-face monkeys and iguanas – pretty up close! We ended the day at Tabyana Beach Resort, with an included barbecue lunch that was pretty good. The beach was lovely but crowded and my daughter left early to go back to the ship. If I ever did this itinerary again, I might just spend the day here at the beach. 

Warning: on the shoreline there are many vendors hawking all sorts of services & products from massages to t-shirts and fresh fruit. Security at the Resort prevents them from coming into the resort’s area, but if this sort of commercial activity bothers you, be forewarned. You can also visit West Bay Beach, of which Tabyana Beach Resort is a part, on your own, but it’s quite a ways from the dock, and I like the security of cruise-line provided transportation.

NCL docks at Coxen Hole, the capital city, and you get a pretty nice tour of the island on your way to and from your excursion. The cruise port itself is nice, with many of the same shops you will find in other cruise ports — clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, T-shirts and magnets galore. I picked up some t-shirts as Christmas gifts at Del Sol, which is a pretty ubiquitous shop in cruise destinations. 

The ship: Norwegian Escape

Overall I like Norwegian. While the cabin on the Escape was on the smaller side compared to the Sun a few years earlier, the bathroom was generously proportioned with plenty of storage space for all my junk, our suitcases fit UNDER the bed and there were plenty of hangers. These small things make a difference. 

Amenities: Even though neither my daughter nor I drink, we do like our mocktails. I also had read that NCL now had zero-alcohol wine options so I bought the Beverage package and a Specialty Dining 3-meal package. We got our money’s worth on the beverages, especially once we discovered the Sugarcane Mojito Bar, which had zero-proof versions of most of the drinks. 

Dining: Norwegian offers freestyle dining, which means you don’t have a set table or time for your meal. And you have lots of options. Included in your cruise fare:

• the 3 main dining rooms — the large Manhattan Room, and the smaller Taste and Savor restaurants. I found the Manhattan Room just too big for my taste so on nights we we didn’t have specialty dining, we ate in the smaller restaurants. I know the food in both is the same, with the same kitchen, but without fail, we preferred Savor to Taste. 
• the Garden Cafe buffet — we don’t tend to eat our meals at the buffet but it’s a great place for an afternoon snack or quick breakfast. They had cream tea in the afternoon (scones, jam and cream) which I loved. 
• two sandwich places — O’Sheehan’s Bar & Grill and the American Diner. Nothing special but good for lunch if you don’t want to deal with the restaurants. 

Specialty dining is an extra cost or you can buy a dining package as we do, and you should reserve it as soon as reservations open up, especially if you have a larger group. On this trip, I went for Le Bistro (French), Bayamo by Ocean Blue (seafood) and Teppanyaki. Other options include Italian, tapas, a steakhouse, Brazilian barbecue, a supper club (with entertainment) and Asian fusion. Le Bistro and Bayamo were outstanding but we were disappointed in the Teppanyaki, which we have enjoyed on other cruises. The food was just okay, and the service wasn’t very good at all. Were I to cruise on this ship again, I think I’d go for Cagney’s Steakhouse or Food Republic, the Asian fusion restaurant. If you have a big appetite though, definitely try the Brazilian barbecue. We did it on the Norwegian Sun in 2019. SO MUCH FOOD AND SO GOOD.

Adults-only Spaces: We waited too long to reserve the adults-only Vibes Beach Club, which apparently can be booked in advance, although I am not sure when, and sells out right away. If you have at least 2 sea days, or plan to spend part of your port days on board, it might be worth it if your goal is to work on your tan while imbibing a beverage. 

Instead, since we had 3 sea days, we bought passes for the Thermal Suite at the Mandara Spa. So worth it. Plunge pool, whirlpool, sauna, steam room, snow room and these amazing thermal recliners that looked so uncomfortable and were most definitely not.  I also did a massage, which was delightful. 

Entertainment and bars: I’m an early-to-bed early-to-rise traveler, and I don’t drink or gamble, so I can’t provide any insights on the bars or casinos, other than I appreciated that the Escape didn’t make us walk through a smoke-filled casino to get everywhere. I also like to eat around 8pm when I travel which doesn’t work so well for the shows, however, if you travel on the Escape, I do recommend The Choir of Man. It was quite good, not just “good for a cruise” good.

Final word — New Orleans NCL cruise terminal was pretty organized. Long lines at arrival but that is almost always the case, and departure was very smooth.

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I enjoy cruising. It’s a great way to experience multiple destinations with a minimum of fuss — if you like the itineraries offered and don’t mind days at sea, plus an obligatory stop at the cruise line’s private resort island. The casino and unlimited drinks packages are a further draw for some. For me, it’s the spa. Entertainment? A mixed bag. Sometimes the comedy is good, sometimes not. The shows? At least as good as your high school or college musical, sometimes excellent. I don’t drink, and often think that inebriation must improve the experience, judging by the enthusiastic reactions of the spectators around me.

I went on my first cruise more than 25 years ago when I was pregnant. My (then) husband and I normally took a ski trip every winter but that was off the table at 6 months pregnant. We visited San Juan (departure port), St. Thomas and Saint Martin, but the thing I remember most clearly was that we were delayed three hours into St. Thomas for a man overboard. Otherwise, I don’t have terrible strong memories of the ship (Royal Caribbean Nordic Empress) or the food other than I faintly remember a Greek or maybe seafood restaurant in Philipsburg in Sint Maarten (the Dutch side) where we ate lunch.

Hawaii Cruise with NCL

We cruised again five years later on the Pride of America (NCL) to see the Hawaiian Islands because it was a great way to see multiple islands with a small child. The room moved with us instead of having to schlepp through the airport again and again. Norwegian’s Family Cabin also made it a breeze to travel with a 5-year old, my mom and my husband. Plenty of room for all and we only paid full price for 2 adults. They’ve reclassified the rooms since we cruised; the room-type we had is now called a 2-Bedroom Aft-Facing Family Suite with Balcony. I highly recommend this itinerary to anyone who wants to get a taste of Hawaii. We also bracketed the cruise with a few days on Oahu before and after.

Bahamas Cruise with NCL

For whatever reason, it was nearly 15 years later — well after my divorce — that my kid and I cruised again. Initially because I wanted to go to Havana and a cruise ship seemed a low maintenance way to get to Cuba. But it was 2019 — the year that the US government instituted a ban on cruise ships calling at Havana from US ports. The ban went into effect in early June. I’d already booked our flights and a few days in Orlando prior so our cruise on the Norwegian Sun out of Port Canaveral in late June 2019 went to Key West and the Bahamas, not Key West and Havana. Instead of digging in deep into culture and history, we swam with dolphins, kissed a sea lion, and visited Hemingway’s six-toed cats in Key West.

We didn’t see the swimming pigs though, which I have always sort of regretted. NCL still does a version of this itinerary but on different ships. The Sun now operates out of Europe. Our pre-cruise days were at Universal Studios in Orlando to enjoy the Harry Potter worlds (before we knew JK Rowling was a TERF) We stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Quick review: the room was fine, the shuttle very convenient and the Lazy River was outstanding.

The Caribbean with Carnival

Our next cruise was intended to be Bermuda out of New York … in June 2020. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. We didn’t cruise again until July 2023, on the Carnival Venezia out of Manhattan, to the Dominican Republic, Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay, Carnival’s private island. It was less about the itinerary and more about the dates and departing port; I wanted to be cruising on my birthday in early July and I didn’t want to deal with airports after a travel nightmare returning from Ireland the previous summer. I was also curious about the Venezia, a European-style ship that had just re-positioned to NYC from the Mediterranean.

Overall, I liked the ship very much. But we did not like our cabin. I had upgraded our balcony to the Terraza level for access to the private deck and other amenities like morning breakfast, but the room they gave us was most definitely not an upgrade. It was on a different level than all the other, more lovely, rooms, and very cramped. Felt more like a money grab than an upgrade. That said, I do think the Terraza level would be worth it if you got a truly upgraded room.

Ports of call on this itinerary —
Dominican Republic — We did not love the DR — or at least what we saw of it — and this itinerary seems to have dropped it in favor of Carnival’s new private resort in the Bahamas, Celebration Key.

Grand Turk — On Grand Turk we did an ATV excursion. Other than how badly my eyes watered from a combination of dust, sweat and sunscreen, it was great fun. My only criticism is that they hustled us across the island to the lighthouse and back, so there was very little opportunity for photos. Wear a sweatband and don’t put the sunscreen near your eyes.
Half Moon Cay — Pristine. The beach was top notch, and the service on the beach — rentals , cabanas etc was excellent. The food was meh. We also did a boat ride which was okay but were I to go again, I’d stick to the beach.

Food – While the included beach barbecue at Half Moon Cay was meh, overall the food on the ship was very good. We also did the Chef’s Table,  a private dining experience actually in the kitchen that includes a tour of the galley. It’s worth doing once, not sure I’d repeat it if I were to cruise on Carnival again.

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Paris from On High

The Eiffel Tower  is the very symbol of the city, and it is worth going up to the top at least once in your life. On our last trip, we did a private tour to the top in the evening and it was spectacular.

That said, I equally like going up Tour Montparnasse and getting the birds eye view of the Eiffel Tower. The Tour Montparnasse as a building is ugly AF but the views from it on a sunny day are spectacular.

The Arc de Triomphe is not as high as the towers of course, but it offers a great perspective down les Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde to the east and the La Defense complex to the west.

For yet another perspective on Paris, visit Montmartre and the Basilique de Sacre-Coeur. Montmartre itself is charming, and the views of Paris from the steps of the basilica are phenomenal.

Paris en plein air

If the weather is fine, experience the Seine with a boat ride on the Bateaux-Mouches and take a promenade through the Jardin des Tuileries  or the Jardin du Luxembourg. Traveling with kids? Both gardens offer play areas.

As of this writing, Notre Dame is still closed to visitors as it rebuilds after the fire in April 2019, but is scheduled to reopen in December 2024. If you go before the reopening, you can still enjoy and be inspired by the building itself. Once it is re-opened, it is a must-see.

Underground: Les Catacombes de Paris

Arrête ! C’est ici l’empire de la mort”

Les Catacombes were created out of former quarries in the late 1700s to eliminate the impact of the city’s overflowing cemetaries. More than 6 million people are buried in the Catacombes, with remains moved from cemetaries all over Paris. The ossuary was opened to public visitation in the early 1800s.

You can ONLY buy your timed tickets online, and entries are limited to a certain number of people at any one time. We purchased a small group tour which gave us access to a few areas that are not on the regular public itinerary. I definitely recommend this approach. The tour guide added a great deal of value to our experience, and I never mind skipping the line!

Shopping

I’ve got three recommendations for you.

Agatha Paris – lovely reasonably priced jewelry including, from time to time, items with its scottie dog emblem. They also nearly always have some sort of scottie emblem barrette or hair clip. Locations throughout Paris and online.

Mariage Frères – the best tea. Visit a tea counter where they will help you pick a tea that will tantalize your tastebuds. Just remember that to bring your tea back to the USA, it must be in a factory-sealed container. My favorites are the spicy Alexandra David-Néel® and the sweetly fragrant Esprit De Noël®. Locations throughout Paris and online.

Finally, I’ve been collecting French crèche figures – “santons” – since I was in high school. On on my last trip to Paris, I found a store near Saint-Sulpice that has an excellent variety: Georges Thuillier, 10 Place Saint-Sulpice. No online option I’m afraid but I can recommend Santons de France, a US online shop that I have purchased from for more than 20 years if you’d like to start your collection.

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The Musée d’Orsay and the Musée Rodin. Both museums are compact and easily visited in a single afternoon.

#1

The Musée Rodin in the 7th Arrondissement was established by Rodin’s will:

I bequeath to the state all my works in plaster, marble, bronze and stone, together with my drawings and the collection of antiquities that I had such pleasure in assembling for the education and training of artists and workers. And I ask the state to keep all these collections in the Hôtel Biron, which will be the Musée Rodin, reserving the right to reside there for the rest of my life.” – Auguste Rodin, 1909.

Outside, you’ll enjoy a lovely sculpture garden with many of Rodin’s most famous works, including The Thinker, the Burghers of Calais, The Gates of Hell and Monument to Balzac. Inside, the galleries show the evolution of his work. There is also a gallery devoted to the works of Camille Claudel. Fun fact: the museum is the only national museum in France that is fully self-funding thanks to Rodin’s donation of his original molds and models. The museum can make and sell original bronzes from these molds, which contributes about 30% of its annual budget.

#2

Les Invalides and the Musée de l’Armée
Right next door to the Musée Rodin is Les Invalides. There’s a lot to see within this complex of buildings including the Musée de l’Armée, the national cathedral of the French military, and the golden Dome des Invalides and tomb of Napoleon. Métro : Varenne (ligne 13) ou Invalides (ligne 13, ligne 8)

#3

The Musée d’Orsay
On the Left Bank / Rive Gauche, the Musée d’Orsay is one of the best collections of Impressionism in the world, with a regular rotation of special exhibits that help you connect with works you have seen a dozen times in brand new ways. On our last visit, we enjoyed an exhibit that delved into Degas à l’Opéra. Currently, the museum is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris.

The museum is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay. The retrofit of the train station to a museum was nothing less than inspired. Lines to get in can be long, so plan accordingly. I’d recommend a weekday over a weekend if you can manage it, and go early. Closed Mondays. Metro: Solférino (12) or the Musée d’Orsay station on RER Line C.

#4

The Louvre
On the Rive Droite, the Louvre. If your time is limited, you may choose to skip it. If you do decide to go, pick a few areas that you really want to see. Don’t try to see “everything.” It’s simply not possible. My favorite exhibit is the Napoleon III Apartments, which sadly is currently closed for renovation. The Mona Lisa is always very crowded. Take the time to view the other paintings in the same hall. Don’t miss the the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

Even if you don’t go inside, there is plenty to see outside, including the I.M. Pei Pyramid, the impressive courtyard, the Jardin des Tuileries and the Arc du Carrousel.

Palais-Royal / Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7)
Pyramides (line 14)

#5

Centre Pompidou 
If you like modern art, a visit to the Centre Pompidou (known colloquially as le Beauborg) is a must. An impressive building, the architecture outside is as modern as the art housed inside.

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If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast. — Ernest Hemingway

The first time I saw Paris, I was 16 years old, and it was love at first sight. Nothing could spoil the magic – not even that my wallet was stolen. [Fun fact: it arrived via mail to my address at prep school about a year later.]

I’ve visited many times since then, including a semester in college, and fell a little bit more in love each time. On my most recent trip in December 2019, my travelling companion was my then 19-year old kid, and I loved sharing my favorite places as well as discovering new ones with them. In my next series of posts, I will share some of my favorite things about the City of Light, starting with when to go, where to stay and what to eat.

WHEN TO GO:

Notwithstanding the song, April is not the best month to visit Paris. May is a much better month.  The composer of the song agreed: “Ah, well,” explained the composer (Vernon Duke) apologetically. “We really meant May, but the rhythm required two syllables.” My favorite times though are September and late December. Paris is beautiful in the fall, although the city will be more crowded than in the winter. The weather in the early winter is much better than you’d expect, and there are far fewer tourists than at other times of the year.

WHERE TO STAY:

The 6th Arrondissement is centrally located and you can find reasonably priced options. On this last visit, we stayed at Hôtel du Dragon. Family owned, rooms are a decent size, with ensuite bathrooms. A nice continental breakfast is available.

WHERE TO EAT:

We had a number of good meals, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a truly bad meal in Paris, but two were outstanding. I would return on my next visit to Paris without hesitation.

A recommendation from a friend, Chez Fernand is worth going out of your way for. The boeuf bourguignon is outstanding, and my starter, a delightful pâté, hit all the right notes.  In the 6th Arr. metro Mabillon (ligne 10) or St German des prés or Saint-Sulpice (ligne 4)

Breizh Café was a nostalgic choice. I spent my junior year in high school on a study abroad program in Rennes, the capital of Brittany, and developed a taste for the regional specialty, galettes au sarrasin, a savory crêpe made from buckwheat flour.We went to the one in le Marais but there are locations throughout Paris.

Instead of lunch one day during your visit, I highly recommend a food tour with Original Food Tours. We did the Taste of Saint Germain and I’ve had first-hand reports that the Marais tour is also superb. We lucked out and were the only 2 on our tour, so had a very personalized experience. If you go, I hope you are lucky enough to get our guide, Nicolas Ferrand.

Pâtisseries and boulangeries are on every corner. For the best bread and chausson-aux-pommes (apple turnovers), visit Poilâne. Original location 8 rue du cherche midi, Saint Germain des Prés. Other locations throughout Paris. With regard to fancy pastries, you are bound to find something to your taste. My favorites are Gateau Paris-Brest (pictured) and Millefeuille (but with powdered sugar on top, not icing).

NIGHTLIFE:

To be honest, I prefer a late, leisurely dinner and then back to the hotel so I can get an early start in the morning, but when in Paris, you should experience one of the cabarets. Le Crazy Horse is more centrally located but if you are staying in Montmartre, the obvious choice is Le Moulin Rouge. Adults only. No need to speak French to enjoy le spectacle at either.

GETTING AROUND:

We did the hop on/off bus on our last visit because the métro was on strike; it came with our Paris Visite pass and it saved us a couple Ubers. If the métro is NOT on strike when you go, don’t bother. You can get pretty much everywhere you need to go on public transportation, and a métro/train pass is also included with Paris Visite. You of course can buy your tickets as you need them, but I find it more convenient to have a multi-day pass.

In my next post, I’ll share the 5 museums you shouldn’t miss.

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